Apparatus for raising natural oils and other liquids by gaseous pressure



N. F. BROWN June 13, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR RAISING NATURAL OILS AND OTHER LIQUIDSBY GASEOUS PRESSURE Filed April 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 36 I! vew/or:

an F Bro w Nor a, ,5;

ll-ml- ,mmw m E n o 0 \o o o o o 0 o 0 0 N. F. BROWN June 13, 1939.

2,162,418 APPARATUS FOR RAISING NATURAL OILS AND OTHER LIQUIDS BY GASEOUS PRESSURE Filed April 14, 1958 In venibr. F. 5/

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Norm an cylinder 6 and the upper end of the cylinder I2 are so shaped as to facilitate the entry of plungers thereto. Opening to the pipe 3 above the casing head 2 is a pipe connection I1 for conveying to the pipe 3 a supply of gas under pressure from an outside source (not shown). Above the junction of the pipe I1 with the pipe 3, the latter pipe supports a cylinder I8 preferably of the same bore as cylinders 6 and I2. The cylinder I8 at its upper end supports and opens into a cylinder I9 of greater bore than the bore of the cylinder I8. Extending down through a stuffing box in the top cover of the cylinder I9 and down through the cylinders I9, III, the pipe 3, the cylinder 6, the chamber II and the cylinder I2 towards the plug I5 is an oil pipe 2|. This oil pipe is closed at its lower end and carries affixed to it, plungers 22 and 23 which are within the cylinder I2, plungers 24 and 25 disposed within the cylinder 6, plunger 26 disposed within the cylinder I B, and piston 21 disposed within the cylinder I9. The oil pipe 2| has perforations 28 between the top of plunger 22 and the bottom of plunger 23 and perforations 29 between the top of plunger 24 and the bottom of plunger 25.

The plungers 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 and. the' piston 21 fit closely and slidably in their respective cylinders. The oil pipe 2| carries, on its upper end, a flexible connection. 39 for leading oil to an' oil and gas separator 3|. In pipe 30, 'before the pipe opens into the separator, is a valve 32. Connected to the pipe 30 on the well side of the valve 32 is a pipe 33 which is provided with valve 34 and opens to the'pressure gas supply pipe I1. A pressure regulating valve 35 may be used on the supply pipe I1 to control the pressure under which gasis fed to the pipe 3 for normal working conditions.- Two hydraulic chambers 36 and 31 are arranged conveniently near the cylin- 'der I9. A pipe 38 draws a gas supply from the supply pipe I1 atpressure and opens directly to the top of the chamber 36 and indirectly through a pilot control valve 39 to the top of the chamber 31. A pipe 40 connects the bottom of chamber 36 with the bottom of cylinder I9 and a pipe 4| connects the bottom of chamber 31 with the top of cylinder I9. Throttle valves 42 and 43 are mounted in pipes 40 and 4| in order to control I the rate of flow of suitable liquid between the chambers 36 and 31 and the cylinder I9 and so ensure smooth operating conditions. The pilot control valve 39 serves to connect the gas supply from the pipe 36 to the chamber 31 while closing an atmospheric port 44 or alternatively to close the gas supply from pipe 36 to the chamber 31 v and open a connection between the chamber 31 and atmosphere as shown in Fig. '7. The oil and gas separator 3| is provided with a float valve 45 which is adapted to allow oil to pass via the pipe 46 to an oil collecting tank (not shown), and with a gas pipe 41 which conveys gas via a pres sure regulator valve 48 and a pipe 49 to a gas collecting plant (not shown). I

The respective areas of the piston 21 and the plunger 26 are such that when the upper part of the chamber 31 is open to atmosphere via the valve 39 and the pipe 44, the differential pressure due to liquid displaced from the chamber 36 under the influence of gas pressure from the pipe 38 exerts an upward thrust on pipe 2! of a value ,greater than the total weight of the said oil pipe field practice. The upper and lower ends of the in any suitable manner as by limiting the stroke of the piston 21.

When the piston 21 is in its uppermost working position, it is arranged that the ports 28 and 29 in the oil pipe 2| are opposite blank portions of the cylinders I2 and 6 respectively, and that the ports I3 in the cylinder I2 and the ports II) in cylinder 6 are uncovered by the plungers 22 and 24 respectively. This is illustrated in Fig. 3. In the position shown in Fig. 3, oil is allowed to flow freely from the lower pipe extension I6 via the ports I4 in the plug I5 and the ports I3 in the cylinder I2 into the chamber II and gas left in the chamber II is displaced upwards and escapes to the casing I via the ports III.

When the piston 21 is in its lowest position, it is arrangedthat the bottom of the oil pipe 2| rests on the plug I5, that the ports 28 in the oil pipe 2| are horizontally aligned with the ports I3 in the cylinder I2, that the ports III in the cylinder 6 are closed by the plunger 24, that the ports 29 in the oil pipe 2| are opposite a blank portion of the cylinder 6, and that the ports 9 in ill) the cylinder 6 are uncovered by the top of plunger 25. This positioning is illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the position shown in Fig. 4, gas at normal working pressure flows from the pipe 3 via the ports 9 and the annular passage 8 to the chamber II. This pressure acts on the surface of oil contained in the chamber II and displaces this of the oil pipe 2|, the piston 21 raises the oil pipe 2| to the position shown in Fig. 5, which position is intermediate those shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In the position shown in Fig. 5 it is arranged that the ports 28 in the oil pipe 2| are opposite a blank portion of the cylinder I2, that the ports I3 in the cylinder I2 and the ports Ill in the cylinder 6 are closed by the plungers 22 and 24 respectively, that the plunger 25 shuts off further admission of pressure gas from the pipe 3 to the chamber II and that the ports 29 in the oil pipe 2| are in horizontal alignment with the ports 9 in the cylinder 6.

In this position, all the gas contained in the chamber II and in the oil pipe 2| beneath the column of oil now on its way upward,- is used expansively to complete the forcing of that column of oil up to the top of the well.

After the piston 21 has been held in this position, for a predetermined period, by a balance of the hydraulic forces acting on the said piston suitably controlled by the valve 39 or by other suitable means (not shown), the piston21 is then moved to its uppermost normal po ition and the oil pipe 2| assumes once more the position shown duction conditions, the pipe 3, with all the equipment down to the pipe I6 which is mounted on it, is run into the well to its predetermined working depth. The-oil tube 2| carrying the plungers 22,

then allowed to rise to its extreme top position (above its uppermost normal position as shown in Fig. 3) when it is arranged that the bottoms of the plungers 22 and 24 are higher than the tops of the, cylinders l2 and Grespectively. In this position which is shown in Fig.2, pressure gas is admitted tothe top of both pipes 3 and 2| and all oil which may have entered to them while the equipment was being lowered into the well is expelled into the casing via theports l0 and I4 until the oil level is reduced to the,

level of the ports |0 in the cylinder 6. The piston 21 and the oil pipe 2|,are then lowered, while gas pressure "in pipes 3 and 2| is maintained, to the position shown in Fig. 4. The valve 34 in the gas by-pass pipe 33 is then closed and the valve 32 inoil pipe is opened. The pressure gas in oil pipe 2| then escapes to the separator 3| and normal working conditions are immediately obtained without being adversely affected in anyway by the quantity or height of the liquid in the casing I or by any excess pressure which is maintained in this casing l, and acts on the surface of oil therein, by the control valve 5. Since the maximum quantity of ,oil that can be admitted to the chamber l is fixed, and since no oil can enter the oil pipe 2| during the chamber filling period,-the gas pressure required to operate the system need never exceed the predetermined value on which the designed capacity of chamber H is based, and no higher pressure is ever required.

It is to be observed that all outlets to the casing I are necessarily closedbefore pressure gas is admitted from pipe 3 to chamber N; that all inlets from the chamber to the oil pipe 2| are necessarily closed before the refilling of chamber commences; that the oil pipe 2| is completely open from top to bottom, and" that no impedance whatever is oifered to the flow of oil;

and that there are no spring and/ or weight loaded automatic valves whatever in the equipment in the well.

I The pipe It which is showilas a simple perforated pipe maybeof any suitable form to exclude grit or toefiect a separation of gas from oil as the conditions in any particular well may require It will be appreciated that the particular tr rangement described above for effecting the raising and lowering of the oil pipe 2|, i. e. the cylinder IS, the piston 2'l the chambers 36 and 31, may be modified and other means may be employed to perform the same operations while the valve 39 may be replaced by, for example, an electromagnetically operating valve such as is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8 which can be controlled by a remotely located switching device. Means may be provided above the cylinder 6 to prevent foreign matter, e. g. grit or pipe scale, from entering thecylinder 6 with the incoming gas.

The plungers on the pipe 2| are preferably made of a non-metallic material in order to minimize the frictional or abrasive effect of foreign matter which may appear.

A small pressure reducing device may be inserted in the gas pipe 38 which leads to the valve 39 in order to control the behavior of the piston 21 while the pipe 44 may be connected to the pipes 49 or 4. Means may be provided to termie nate the waiting period when the parts are in the position shownih Fig. 5 and the oil reaches the surface.

Should any matter, e. g. paraffin wax, lodge in the pipe 2| this may readily be removed by lowering a swab into the pipe without extracting the pipe, owing to the fact that the bore of this pipe is unimpeded throughout its length,

Qwing to the absence of a loaded valve which must be maintained open by the action of gas flowing through it as in known systems, in the system provided by the invention the various gas passages may be made sufficiently large to minimize the resistance to gas flow appreciably and, therefore, the maximum gas pressure necessary is lower than hitherto, while the available gas pressure in the chamber when the gas supply thereto is cut oif, is used to the maximum extent possible as the oil pipe 2| is unobstructed;

Furthermore, the ability of grit and other foreign matter adversely to aifect the operation of the apparatus is reduced by the absence of spring and like loaded valves.

It will be observed that the oil admitted to the pump chamber is limited to about the capacity of the chamber and is a fixed predetermined quantity.

I claim: H

1. Apparatus for raising liquids in wells by gaseous pressure comprising a chamber adapted to be disposed below liquid level in a well, a gas pipe opening to the chamber, a source of gaseous pressure, means connecting said source to said gas pipe, an eduction .pipe vertically reciprocable in said chamber, a plurality of valve means actuable by said eduction pipe'upon reciprocation thereof to one position for admitting liquidwto the chamber from a space around the chamber while openinga vent between the upper part of the chamber and the said space and. closing the eduction pipe from the chamber, and upon reciprocation of the eduction pipe to another position for closing said chamber from said space while admitting gaseous fluid to the upper part of said chamber and opening the eduction pipe to be lower part of the chamber. i I

2. Apparatus for raising liquids in wells by gaseous pressure comprising a chamber adapted to be disposed below liquid level in a well, a gas pipe opening to the chamber, a source of gaseous pressure, means connecting said'source to said gas pipe, an eduction pipe vertically reciprocable in said chamber, aplurality valve means actuable by said eduction pipe upon reciprocation thereof to one position for admitting liquid to the chamberifrom a space around the chamber while opening a vent between the upper part of the chamber and the said space and closing the eduction pipe from the chamber, and upon reciprocation of the eduction pipe to another position for closing said chamber from said space while admitting gaseous fluid to the upper part of said chamber and opening the eduction pipe to the lower part of the chamber, means for maintaining the eduction pipe in a position intermediate the aforesaid two positions for closing the source of gaseous pres-. sure from the chamber while maintaining the a chamber closed from the said space andopen to to be disposed below liquid level in a well, said chamber having ports for the admission of liquid to the chamber and ports for the admission of gaseous fluid to the chamber, a gas pipe opening to the chamber, a source of gaseous pressure, means connecting said source to said gas pipe, a plurality of valve means vertically reciprocable to open and close the said ports to control the flow of gaseous fluid and liquid to and from the chamber, an eduction pipe extending into said chamber for carrying the liquid to the surface of the well, said eduction pipe having ports for the admission of liquid to the eduction pipe located in the chamber and having an unobstructed bore above said ports.

4. Apparatus for raising liquids in wells by gaseous pressure comprising a chamber adapted to be disposed below liquid level in a well, a liquid inlet at the lower part of said chamber and a gas vent at the upper part thereof, a gas pipe opening to the chamber, a source of gaseous pressure, means connecting said source to said gas pipe, an eduction pipe vertically recipro'cable in said chamber, said eduction pipe having ports longitudinally displaced along the pipe, valve means for opening ports at the lower end of the pipe for admitting liquid from the chamber to the eduction pipe, valve means for closing the chamber inlet and valve means for closing the-gas vent, in one position of said pipe, valve means for closing upper ports located above said lower ports while said liquid is admitted to said lower ports, means for movingsaid eduction pipe to a position wherein saidfirst-mentioned valve means close said lower ports and the last-mentioned valve means open the upper ports to the chamber for permitting gas in said chamber to expand in the eduction pipe and force liquid above said upper ports up through the eduction pipe.

5. Apparatus for raising liquids in wells by gaseous pressure comprising a chamber adapted to be disposed below liquid level in a well, a gas pipe opening to the chamber, a source of gaseous pressure, means connecting said source to said gas pipe, a vertically reciprocable eduction pipe having a closed lower end, a cylinder in the lower part of said chamber, said cylinder having ports which connect the interior of the cylinder with the chamber space outside the cylinder, a cylinder in the upper part of the chamber having its upper end open to the gas pipe and its lower end open to the upper part of the chamber space, a jacket around and spaced from said cylinder, the walls of said cylinder having ports which connect the interior of the cylinder with the space between the cylinder and the jacket, the interior of said cylinder being connected with the space outside the chamber by ports located below the ports connecting the interior of the cylinder with the space between the cylinder and the jacket, plungers on the eduction pipe located in one position of the eduction pipe to a it liquldfrom the well to the chamber space athe ports in the cylinder in the lower part of the chamber, while permitting gas to escape vi he ports connecting the cylinder in the upper part of the chamber with the space outside the chamber and closing ports in the eduction pipe to prevent liquid entering the said pipe fromthe chamber, and at the same time to close the cylinder in the upper part of the chamber from the gas pipe and thereby prevent gas entering the chamber, the plungers also, in another position of, the eduction pipe being located to close the ports in the cylinder in the lower part of the chamber and prevent liquid entering the chamber from the well and closing the ports connecting the interior of the cylinder in the upper part of the chamber with the space outside the chamber, while exposing the said ports in the eduction pipe to admit liquid from the chamber to the eduction pipe and opening the cylinder in the upper part of the chamber to the gas pipe thereby permitting gas to enter the upper part of the chamber-via the ports connecting the interior of said cylinder with the space between the cylinder and the jacket.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the plungers are located, in a third position of the eduction pipe, to expose further ports in the eduction pipe, which are located above the ports for admitting liquid to the eduction pipe from the chamber, to the space between the said cylinder and the jacket while closing the said cylinder from the gas pipe, closing the ports between the said cylinder and the space outside the chamber, closing the ports in the cylinder in the lower part of the chamber and closing the ports in the eduction pipe for admitting liquid to the said pipe from the chamber.

7. Apparatus for raising liquids in wells by ga'seous pressure comprising a chamber adapted to be disposed below liquid level in a well, a source of gaseous pressure, means connecting said source with said chamber, a vertically reciprocable eduction pipe having its lower end located in the chamber, valve means actuable to permit the admission of liquid from the well to the chamber while preventing the admission of liquid to the eduction pipe through ports in said pipe located in the chamber, valve means actuable to place the upper part of said chamber in communication with the space outside the chamber and to close the connection between the upper part of the chamber and the source of gaseous pressure while liquid is admitted to the chamber.

8. Apparatus for raising liquids in wells by gaseous pressure as claimed in claim 7, comprising an eduction pipe having a closure at its lower end which is located in the chamber and an unobstructed bore above the closure.

9. Apparatus for raising liquids in wells by gaseous pressure as claimed in claim 2, comprising means for lifting the eduction pipe to a position above either of said two positions and means for connecting the eduction pipe with the source of gaseous pressure while the eduction pipe is in the raised position.

10. Apparatus for raising liquids by gaseous pressure comprising a chamber adapted to be disposed below liquid level in a well, a source of gaseous pressure, means for connecting said source with said chamber, an eduction pipe vertically reciprocable in said chamber, valve means controlling the flow of liquid to said chamber and the flow of liquid to the eduction pipe, valve means controlling the flow of gas to and from said chamber, means connecting said valve means with said eduction pipe, a pair of fixed cylinders of diflerent diameters open to one another, pistons fixed to the eduction pipe and movable in said cylinders and defining a space between the pistons, the smaller of said pistons being exposed to the pressure of gas in the means connecting the said source with the chamber, and means for introducing a,fluid to the space between the pistonsv to lift the eduction pipe.

piston therein opposite to the said space to deor gaseous pressure, means for connecting said source with said chamber, a vertically reciprocable eduction pipe, valve means for controlling -the flow of liquid into the chamber, valve meansfor controlling theflow of gas through said vent,

valve means for controlling the flow of liquid to the eduction pipe, valve means for controlling the flow of gaseous fluid to the chamber, means connecting the eduction pipe with said valve means, a fixed cylinder, a piston fixed to said eduction pipe and movable in said cylinder, a second fixed cylinder of diameter larger than the diameter of the first cylinder and located above and open to said first cylinder, a piston fixed to said eduction pipe and movable in said second cylinder, means connecting the first cylinder below the piston therein with the means connecting the said source with the chamber, means for introducing a pres- -sure fluid to the cylinders between said pistons,

valve means for controlling the flow of fluid'to the second cylinder above the piston therein and means for actuating said valve means.

13. Apparatus, for raising liquids by gaseous pressure as claimed in claim 12 comprising hydraulic reservoirs for supplying fluid to the cylinders.

' NORMAN FRASER BROWN. 

